Karl Dönitz
On the 2nd of July 1918, Karl Dönitz took command of the submarine UB-68 in the Mediterranean Sea. He operated near Malta while attacking a convoy that included merchant ships and escort vessels. The U-boat sank one ship before the rest of the convoy managed to outrun his vessel. This specific encounter forced him to rethink how submarines should operate independently against well-defended targets. He began formulating the concept of grouping several boats together to overwhelm enemy escorts. The idea would later become known as Rudeltaktik or pack tactics. His experience in the Mediterranean provided the foundation for future German naval strategy.
In January 1935, the Anglo-German Naval Agreement allowed Germany to build a submarine fleet again after years of prohibition under the Treaty of Versailles. Dönitz received command of the U-boat flotilla which comprised three boats: U-1, U-2, and U-3. He advocated for producing large numbers of small craft rather than relying on expensive surface ships. His preference centered on the Type VII submarine which offered reliable performance and sufficient range for Atlantic operations. Modifications extended this range from 4,000 nautical miles to 7,000 nautical miles at eight knots. He revived Hermann Bauer's idea of coordinating multiple submarines to defeat merchant convoys. Ultra high frequency transmitters enabled secure communication between boats while Enigma cipher machines protected their messages. A 1922 paper by Wessner had already pointed out the need for coordinated attacks but Dönitz improved upon those suggestions significantly.
From January to July 1942, German U-boats sank more ships off the United States East Coast than at any other time during the war. This period became known as the Second Happy Time within the U-boat arm. Only five U-boats initially attacked unescorted vessels in American waters yet they managed to sink 397 ships. The operation caused one of the greatest naval disasters in history with over 5,000 Allied sailors killed. American failure to implement a blackout along the coast allowed lighthouses and buoys to shine forth clearly. Ship captains insisted on following peace-time safety procedures despite warnings about enemy presence. The British government had delayed blackouts due to concerns about affecting tourism trade. By the time improved air and naval defenses drove German submarines from American shores, the damage was done. Operation Neuland targeted oil refinery production in the Caribbean where tanker fleets suffered losses of up to ten percent within twenty-four hours.
On the 24th of May 1943, Karl Dönitz ordered the suspension of Atlantic operations after losing thirty-three U-boats in just two weeks. This event marked Black May when Allied air power and escort carriers turned the tide against German submarine forces. During the battles of Convoy ONS 5, SC 129, and SC 130, only two merchant ships were sunk while thirteen U-boats disappeared. The combination of convoy escorts and Very Long Range aircraft made the mid-Atlantic unsuitable for pack operations. Hunter-killer groups consisting of fast anti-submarine escorts and aircraft carriers began seeking out U-boats wherever they operated. From June through August 1943, US hunter-killer groups sank fifteen U-boats in Brazilian waters alone. Only one crew returned to Germany from that region. Dönitz tried to limit morale damage by declaring the withdrawal temporary but the battle never reached its previous intensity again.
In early 1944, Dönitz hoped for thirty-three Type XXI submarines per month by September to regain naval superiority. These new vessels featured snorkels allowing crews to stay submerged while recharging batteries and evading radar-equipped aircraft. Production streamlined parts fabrication across sixty plants in Europe before assembly at Hamburg, Danzig, and Bremen. Despite these efforts, ninety Type XXI boats built by year's end remained non-operational due to Allied bombing campaigns. On the 6th of June 1944, during Operation Overlord, only five of fifteen snorkel-equipped boats survived attacks near Cherbourg. Dönitz supported suicide weapons including Human torpedoes like the Neger, Marder, Seehund, and Biber inspired by Japanese Kamikaze tactics. Approximately thirty thousand men died under his command as the Third Reich collapsed. The Type VII submarine remained the backbone of the fleet throughout 1943 despite being obsolete against modern defenses.
On the 30th of April 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide leaving Karl Dönitz named as his successor as head of state. This arrangement became known as the Goebbels cabinet after Joseph Goebbels served as second-in-command until his own death. Dönitz's administration was reformed into the Flensburg Government following Goebbels' suicide. He ordered Alfred Jodl to sign the German Instrument of Surrender on the 7th of May 1945 in Reims France. His tenure ended when Allied powers dissolved the cabinet de facto on the 23rd of May and de jure on the 5th of June 1945. During this brief period he held titles of President of Germany and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. He maintained loyalty to Nazi ideology even after the regime's collapse while claiming ignorance of genocidal policies.
At the Nuremberg trials, Karl Dönitz faced indictment on three counts including conspiracy to commit crimes against peace and war crimes against laws of war. He was found not guilty of committing crimes against humanity but convicted of waging aggressive warfare and violating naval regulations. The tribunal sentenced him to ten years imprisonment for his role in unrestricted submarine warfare. Following his release, he lived in a village near Hamburg until dying in late December 1980. His conviction reflected the legal judgment that he had authorized attacks on merchant shipping without regard for international law. The trial process examined his personal responsibility for orders given during the Battle of the Atlantic. He remained a dedicated Nazi supporter throughout his life despite postwar condemnation.
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Common questions
When did Karl Dönitz take command of the submarine UB-68?
Karl Dönitz took command of the submarine UB-68 on the 2nd of July 1918. He operated near Malta while attacking a convoy that included merchant ships and escort vessels.
What naval strategy did Karl Dönitz develop during World War II?
Karl Dönitz developed the concept known as Rudeltaktik or pack tactics to group several boats together to overwhelm enemy escorts. This strategy relied on Type VII submarines modified to extend their range from 4,000 nautical miles to 7,000 nautical miles at eight knots.
How many ships did German U-boats sink off the United States East Coast between January and July 1942?
German U-boats sank 397 ships off the United States East Coast between January and July 1942 during the period called the Second Happy Time. Only five U-boats initially attacked unescorted vessels in American waters yet they managed to sink these ships.
Why did Karl Dönitz order the suspension of Atlantic operations on the 24th of May 1943?
Karl Dönitz ordered the suspension of Atlantic operations after losing thirty-three U-boats in just two weeks during Black May. Allied air power and escort carriers turned the tide against German submarine forces by making the mid-Atlantic unsuitable for pack operations.
Who succeeded Adolf Hitler when he committed suicide on the 30th of April 1945?
Adolf Hitler named Karl Dönitz as his successor as head of state when he committed suicide on the 30th of April 1945. This arrangement became known as the Goebbels cabinet before being reformed into the Flensburg Government following Goebbels' death.
What sentence was given to Karl Dönitz at the Nuremberg trials?
The tribunal sentenced Karl Dönitz to ten years imprisonment for his role in unrestricted submarine warfare. He was found not guilty of committing crimes against humanity but convicted of waging aggressive warfare and violating naval regulations.